Ride or Cry
by lokisrightatrium
Summary: Tony Stark x Reader one shot. Based on the song by Chelsea Jade.


_Not too shy for the deep dive  
I got that ocean wide-eyed surprise_

"Morning, Mr. Stark. Ms. Potts is on line one, she's requesting you on floor twenty. Something about an employer stealing manmade… Dysp- dys…"

"Dysprosium?"

You smiled, "Yes. Shall I Ms. Potts tell you'll be down?"

"Uh, tell her five minutes."

"I'll tell her twenty."

"Good on 'ya, Ms. Y/L/N."

 _Just as blue in the daytime  
As in the loneliest night  
So can you swim alright?_

"Anything else, Mr. Stark?" You asked him. He turned around in his spinny chair and looked at you.

"Nope. That's all, Ms. Y/L/N. You're dismissed."

"All right, Mr. Stark, I'll be outside if you need anything."

"Thanks, Y/N."

 _'Cause baby I got tears in my eyes  
Almost all of the time_

You left his office, sitting back down behind your desk. You took Pepper off of hold and held the phone to your ear.

"Hey, Pep. Tony says he'll be there in twenty."

"Thanks, Y/N," she said. "How is he?"

"A little off. I think he's still having panic attacks," you whispered the last part. There was a long pause on the other side.

"I'll see him in twenty. Tell him he better be there, will you?"

 _And baby I am not gonna lie  
Wanna soak up your life_

"Sure," you replied. "Bye Pep."

"Bye, Y/N."

With that, Pepper hung up the phone. You sighed and put the phone back into its' cradle. You stood up again and knocked on Stark's door.

"Come in!"

 _I'll be your ride or cry  
Holding onto you through the night_

"Mr. Stark?" You asked as you entered.

"Yeah," he called from behind the desk. He was facing the window, still in his chair.

"Ms. Potts says she'll see you in twenty."

 _I'll be your ride or cry  
Just hold onto me through the night  
I'll be your ride or cry_

"Thanks," he nodded, not looking away from whatever he was looking at outside.

"Are you alright, Mr. Stark?"

"I've just got a lot of shit on my plate, Ms. Y/L/N. Nothin' new."

You stepped further into his office.

"I could call Ms. Potts and request the meeting to be pushed back if you would like."

"Nah, it's okay. Come here, sit down," he said, finally turning around to face you. Even though you were only gone a minute, Tony's whole demeanour had changed, leaving tired eyes and a sunken face.

 _You see these sky high grey eyes  
I can make 'em rain or shine_

"Y'know," he continued, "I don't know much about you."

You sat down in one of the leather chairs across from him. "Didn't you read my file when I applied?"

"To be honest, Pepper hired you. I just signed my name on it."

"Ah, I see. Well, my first name's Y/N."

"Nice to meet you, Y/N," he smiled. The way your name sounded on his lips sent a funny feeling to your stomach. You chuckled.

"My mum is from Bath and my dad is from Rochester, up north. Hence the, uh… _interesting_ accent."

"I like it."

"Thanks," you replied. "Are you sure you're alright, Mr. Stark?"

"Please, call me Tony."

 _I'll always say I'm fine  
But like a wet look still life_

"Alright, _Tony_."

"You know the whole… Battle of New York thing, right?"

"Of course. I was in Albany at the time, but yeah, I know of it."

"Then you know that I, uh… went into space and almost didn't come back."

You nodded. "That's what they say."

 _They're never ever bone dry  
So can you just be mine?_

"I get these… _fits_ , I guess you could call 'em," he told you. "I can't breathe or think, and my head starts pounding. My ears start ringing. I had no clue what to do. Pepper helped me a lot."

"I was told she used to be your assistant."

"Yeah. Anyways, tell me more about you."

"Er… I have a sister. She lives in Washington D.C."

 _'Cause baby I got tears in my eyes  
Almost all of the time_

"Nice. I don't have siblings."

"She can be hell, sometimes," you laughed. "But she's my family."

Tony nodded at that. "You got a boyfriend? Girlfriend? Either is fine."

"I'm too busy."

"You're saying that I'm the reason you don't go out on dates? Way to make a man feel good, Y/N."

 _And baby you do not have to try  
This is how I get by_

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah, I know. I was just joking," he smiled. You smiled back. He met your eyes for a second before clearing his throat and looking away. "Anyway, you probably have some shit to do, eh?"

"Well, _Tony_ , seeing as you're my boss, you get to decide when I'm busy and when I'm not."

"I do, don't I."

 _I'll be your ride or cry  
Holding onto you through the night_

"It's in the job description," you joked.

"Yeah, I won't keep you longer."

"It was nice talking to you, Tony."

"You, too, Y/N."

 _I'll be your ride or cry  
Just hold onto me through the night  
I'll be your ride or cry_

As you were walking out, you turned back to face him. "It can be hard, talking to someone about your problems. But you should try. Maybe it'll help you."

"Thanks, Y/N."

"Of course, Mr. Stark."

You turned back around and left his office. You rang Pepper back and told her he might be late. Pepper sighed and hung up.

-0-

 _Don't it make you wanna ride?  
Don't it make you wanna come by?_

It was almost time for you to go home. You lived 45 minutes away by train, and that was the _closest_ apartment you could find within your price range. New York City was expensive, maybe too expensive nowadays. You knocked on Mr. Stark's door for the last time that day and peeked your head in.

 _Don't it make you wanna sigh?  
Don't it make you wanna cry?_

"Mr. Stark? I'm leaving now."

"Hmm?" He mumbled, looking up from his papers.

"I'm leaving," you repeated, stepping further into the office.

"You're leaving? What time is it?"

"Almost 6," you answered.

"Oh, sorry for keeping you so long."

"No, it's totally alright. I had some things to do, crossed them off my list."

 _Holding onto you through the night  
I'll be your ride or cry_

"Y/N?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark?"

"I wanna get to know you more," he told you. "After our conversation earlier today, I've realized that I don't know you much. And as your boss, I should at least know what food you like best."

You laughed, "Alright, Mr. Stark-"

"Tony," he interjected.

 _Just hold onto me through the night  
I'll be your ride or cry_

" _Tony_ ," you corrected. You would most likely never get used to that. "I'm free now."

He smirked, "I know a place, how do you feel 'bout Italian?"

"I was more thinkin' I could show you a place. Half hour by metro."

"Metro?" He grimaced. You chuckled.

 _Wanna be your ride or cry  
Let me be your ride or cry_

"Yeah, Tony. Travel like a normal New Yorker once in a while," you told him. "Lemme grab my jacket."

He followed you out the room, "Are you sure? This place is really nice. I'm talking wine, pasta, salads…"

"Tony, I'm not that kinda girl. The one you promise helicopter rides to. Let me show you my favourite Pho place. it's the only one in town that doesn't smell like armpits."

"…Fine."

"Knew you'd come around eventually."

"Don't get used to it," he said as you slung your jacket on your shoulders. he offered an arm to you. "Show me the way, Ms. Y/L/N."

 _Even when the tide gets high  
I'll be your ride or cry_

-00-


End file.
